Super Tried-And-True, Old-Fashioned Cold Remedies

The Autumn definitely is one of my favorite seasons of the year. Because I live in the Midwest-Winters can be super cold and windy, Spring can mean severe weather, and Summers are hot and humid. But unfortunately, when Autumn starts-along with it comes those dreaded colds and flu viruses. Ugh! But don’t despair, I have found a list of proven nature good-old fashioned remedies to help with speedy recoveries.

Vintage cold remedy ad

First, did you know its a known fact that the human body is a miracle healer all by itself? Its called the “immunity system.” The bodies immune system has the ability to fight and control everything from fighting colds, flu and viruses – to dealing with the final stages of cancer.

What helps keep our immunity system strong: Vitamin D

How do I get some Vitamin D?

Simple, just walk outside (not from sitting inside by a window) on a sunny day-early to mid-day, for maybe 15 minutes or so. When the UVB rays from mid-day sun hit your skin, it causes a reaction with the oils present in your skin to generate vitamin D. But, don’t wear sun-screen lotions because they can halt your body’s capability to develop this much needed vitamin. Additionally, ingest natural vitamin D, which can be found in egg yolks, fish (canned tuna and wild-caught salmon, milk, yogurt, garlic, cheese, almond milk and mushrooms-just to name a few.

Honey-

Add honey to hot lemonade for a cough or a cold. Or add a teaspoon to any relevant herbal teas. Honey is a bactericide (i.e., an agent that destroys bacteria).

Honey is known to soothe a sore or scratchy throat, but add a little ginger-which is known to have antibiotic properties and you have a winning cold combination.

Grind up some fresh ginger root and mix it with an equal amount of honey on a teaspoon-then ingest it. If you don’t care for the taste, mix it with a half a glass of warm organic milk. It instantly clears up your nasal passages and soothes that nasty dry throat.

Apple Cider Vinegar Gargle–

Add 1-Tbsp of apple cider vinegar, and 1-tsp salt to 1-cup of warm water and gargle several times a day. This alkaline mixture kills off bacteria and viruses.

Lemon-

Lemon is another one of those proven natural body cleansers. Wash and cut a couple of lemons. Squeeze them into a large cup; add the washed halves and cover with boiling water; then add honey to taste. Very useful for bad coughs!

Flaxseeds-

Flaxseeds are known to work great for colds. First, boil the flaxseeds in water till the mixture thickens, then strain it. Add some lime juice and honey for taste and ingest this concoction twice a day. Your cold will disappear quickly.

Did you know? During the summer, drinking chilled water and beverages can increase the chances of cold infections, or worsen GERD systems causing cough. (I always wondered why my 89-year-old father refuses to drink cold water.)

Moving on….Here is one more new cold remedy I discovered, which I’d like to share with my readers and must try myself when I feel a cold coming on.

Preventive Water Therapy-

Preventive water therapy will help you by giving your immune system a boast, which will help get rid of an oncoming cold or flu.

You will need two large-5-gallon plastic paint buckets (or similar size buckets) to immerse your legs and feet into. Place these buckets into your bathtub-fill one bucket with cold water (maybe add some ice cubes), and the other with HOT water (you can also add a cup of vinegar to the hot water to increase the effect).

Five-gallon paint bucket to place your feet

Place a folded bath towel on the top edge of a bath tub- or use a small stool pulled up next to the tub-place both legs into the hot water for five minutes. (Use a timer) Next, move your right leg followed by your left leg slowly into the cold water while deeply exhaling. Count twenty seconds, now place both legs back into the hot water for another five minutes; repeat and place both legs into the cold water for twenty seconds, then into the hot water for another five minutes. End with both legs in the cold water for twenty seconds; then pat your feet dry and put on some long warm socks and go to bed. Make sure you are under some warm blankets with a hot-water bottle by your feet, or a place by a partner with warm feet which works for me. (You can use a heating blanket, but its not advised.)

The goal is to get your feet and legs quite warm as virus “Bugs” don’t like heat.

Good old warm socks

If, after ten minutes in the bed and your feet and legs still aren’t warm enough, get up and put your legs back into the saved hot water in the bucket again for another five minutes….but no cold water dip this time. Put your socks back on and get back under the covers again.

If you do this treatment at the first sign of an oncoming cold; you can avoid it!

When I have a stuffy nose I simply put a tiny (I said TINY) dab right under my nostrils, and within minutes, my nasal passages are clear. My father has been using Vicks VapoRub all his life, and he swears by it.